MILLIONS of UK adults are baffled by roaming charges and have no idea how much they could be hit – with some stung for more than £120 on their holidays. A study of 2,000 mobile phone users who like to holiday revealed 63 per cent are confused by the cost of using their phone abroad. Among the most perplexing things are the price difference in varying countries (59 per cent), how texts and calls are charged (55 per cent) and if roaming charges are already covered in the holidaymaker’s mobile plan (54 per cent).
A further 58 per cent are muddled by how they will be charged and if it’s a daily cost or a cost per gigabyte they use. This has seen 59 per cent paying £24, on average, for using their phone abroad on a single trip. But one in 20 (four per cent) have ended up with a bill exceeding £120.
The study was commissioned by Sim Local, which has created a tool which allows holidaymakers to find out how much data they will need based on their usage on their travels. Sarah McGarr, chief digital officer at the travel eSIM provider, said: “Everyone loves jetting off on holiday, but it’s evident people like to keep in touch with what’s going on back home and in the world around them wherever they are, and that they rely on data for all sorts of holiday essentials – from maps to translations to transport. “So our mobiles really are crucial while abroad.
“But it’s hard to know what you’re going to need your phone for until you reach your destination so it’s .